The Return
by character-obsessed
Summary: After 5 years gone, Killian Jones returns to his hometown, only to find that his friends are not like he remembered, especially a certain blonde sister of his best friend.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Walking down main street, I am amazed to see that everything remained almost exactly how it has always been. 5 years has gone and past, and this is the first time I have been back to my hometown. I clench my knuckles nervously as I make my way into Granny's. I'm nervous as hell to see everyone, and dreading the fact that they will bring up the obvious.

Adjusting the arms of my leather jacket, I push the door open carefully. Almost out of a movie, the whole restaurant turns to look at me. I see the faces of people I recognize, both from High School and from my local job down at the docks. My neck begins to grow warm from their stares, and when I finally catch sight of a friendly face, the one belonging to Granny herself, I finally let out a long breath.

"Killian" she exclaims as she comes charging towards me.

I jump back with the force of her hug. Granny had given me my first job at the tender age of 14 (don't ask me if it was legal) and we had been attached to each other ever since. Granny seemed to take a vested interest in all the youth in the town, especially the kids who needed it most.

"My God, you've grown up so much! And you're so handsome"

She hugs me tighter.

"We've all missed you darling. Come sit, we must catch up. Oh, and avert flirting for the time being. A lot has changed since you've been gone. You never know who could be taken," she adds with a wink.

Apparently no one had forgotten about my reputation. And never being the shy one, Granny always knew the wrong things to say. Once upon a time, I was quite a different man. My cocky and arrogant attitude had gotten me into boatloads of trouble. My playboy behavior also didn't help things. It all seemed so simple back then. I was a happy lad. I had my choice of women, my best friends, and my brother. Now? I had none of that.

After rush hour had ended, Granny and I talked for what seemed like hours. Ruby had come in through the doors at one point and had practically attacked me. Ruby and I had been good friends in High School. We were pretty similar, and our friends used to make bets as to when we would get together. That never happened of course, much to the delight of Ruby, who later came out as gay via a Facebook update. To say the boys were surprised is an understatement, but to me, I always knew. Bringing me back into the conversation is Ruby's whining.

"Killliannn, are you coming to the pool party tonight?"

She begins tugging at my arm and begging like a small child.

"Robin will be there, and David, and Mary-Margaret, and Emma, and my girlfriend.."

"Wait Emma? Isn't she like 17?" I ask, holding back laughter.

I hadn't thought about Emma in years. Back then, the only women I talked to were the ones that I wanted to sleep with, and well, Ruby.

"Uh yea dude, she's almost 20"

Almost Twenty? Jesus, I've been gone a long time. I change the subject quickly, Emma leaving my mind.

"What makes you think that Dave and all them will want to see me?" I ask, giving her a knowing, yet apologetic face.

Ruby bestows on me a sad look. Her eyes look conflicted. Finally she speaks.

"Hey, an apology fixes a lot. And besides, they missed you. We all did"

I smile and look down, tears forming in my eyes. The last time I had seen any of my friends, I was in a dark place. So dark, in fact, that I couldn't recognize myself, let alone the damage that I done to every important relationship in my life.

Shaking myself out of my own thoughts, I look up to Granny and Ruby looking at me with sympathy. I fake a smile to make them stop, and thankfully they buy it. Taking one last look at Granny's, we all head to the door. It's still warm out thankfully, and I head up to the room I've rented above the diner.

Pushing open the blue, slightly damaged door, I get aquatinted with my new living arrangements. There's not much to see, and I open my suitcase to get out my swim trunks. The party is at David and Mary-Margaret's, apparently they were living together now? Not that I'm surprised, those two were inseparable during High School. I head to the door, knowing I can't stall any longer.

Walking as slowly as I can, I make my way through the town. The closer I get to their house, the more anxious I feel. When I do arrive, I am more than a little anxious. A sweat has begun to form on the top of my forehead. Before I can knock, the door open rips open, a stoneless David standing just past it. We simply lock eyes for a few long moments. Then he does something unexpected, he steps closer to me, and pulls me into a hug. To say I am startled is an understatement. My arms automatically weave behind his own back and I give him a quick squeeze. To not only receive a hug, but to also not get punched in the face is quite a good start to the night. I smile genuinely for the first time in a long time. I have my best friend back.

David knows me enough to not question me right away. He simply guides me to the backyard whilst filling me in on our friends. I spot Robin right away, and his face pulls into a wide smile. He rushes towards me and embraces me as well. It almost feels like nothing has changed.

A few hours go by while the group of us get drunker and drunker. Being filled in on 5 years worth of information gets overwhelming after a while, and I am anxious to move on to current topics. I am relieved, however, to find that all of my friends have seemingly found their happy endings. David and Mary-Margaret were married, Robin and Regina (of all people) were engaged and preparing to adopt a little boy, Roland, and Ruby was getting snug with her new girlfriend. I feel left out for the first time realizing that all of my friends have managed to find love, and that I was still alone. With that dark thought, I prepare to make an excuse to leave. But, just as I am about to make an excuse to retire to my room, the loud whine of the backdoor pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Emma!" David exclaims, jumping out of his seat to greet her.

I turn my gaze to see the long lost little sister of David Nolan, prepared to see the gangly and cute girl. What I see instead makes me catch my breath.

Emma stands there, absorbed in her conversation with her brother, and looks like a fucking angel. She is far from the girl I remember. Wearing a tight red dress, my eyes have a hard time on finding a place to look upon. Her ass is perky in the tight dress and it hugs her curves. Her hair climbs almost all the way down her back, and her angelic face radiates happiness as she chats with my best friend. I'm quite literally losing my breath over her and I cough to relieve my throat. This in turn, catches the attention of Emma, and she turns to me and freezes.

She seems shocked, and then slowly she breaks into a wide smile. She comes towards me and throws her arms around my neck.

"Killian" she sighs out slowly into my ear.

Her scent and her curves pressing against me cut off all rational thought as I pull her closer. Just a second later, she pulls away and gives me a strange look. I mourn the loss, and then realize something truly awful and even more embarrassing. I probably held her too long. It is in this moment that I realize that I am well and truly, screwed. Is love at second sight a thing?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Brushing the wet stands out of my face, I lay out on my towel besides the pool. To anyone else, It would look like I was taking a nap. What I was really doing was spying.

Looking up from my thick rimmed sunglasses, I spot Killian talking to Ruby. The two are so conformable with each other that it pulls a familiar knot in my stomach.

They were always so close, and as a young teenager, it drove me crazy to no end. That is of course, before Ruby came out of the closet, and I realized that Killian would never look at me in any special way.

I had put Killian in the far recesses of my conscience. A childhood crush wasn't something I should be dwelling on. I thought my feelings would disappear, go away with time, and they did…until he came back.

His embrace took me completely off guard. The way he crushed me to his body, the way his hand found the base of my skull. Heat was radiating off both of our bodies. I could tell that he held me a little too long when everyone around us became silent, and reluctantly, I let him go.

Looking back up, I notice that Tink has joined the two friends. My hands clench tightly by my side as I watch her openly flirt with him. He smiles carefully back at her, and it surprises me that he isn't passionately flirting back. That used to be his M.O.

Not wanting to watch anymore, I gather up my towel, and slip on my dress. Deciding I will go visit with my brother, I am startled to find Killian walking in my direction. He is staring right at me, like he is trying to read my soul. I swallow a lump in my throat and prepare to greet him.

"Hey," I say, not quite knowing what to say.

He opens and closes his mouth until:

"You look good", he responds. His face going red immediately following.

My face burns as well. I wasn't expecting such an obvious compliment.

I thank him quickly, not wanting to embarrass either one of us, and gesture over to David and Mary-Margaret.

I walk first, wanting to break the awkward tension. Killian follows quickly behind, and in an unexpected move, places his hand on my lower back. I shiver in response, and just when I'm about to give in, I remember. I'm just a child to him. I take off a little faster, leaving him a few paces behind me.

I'm now angry. He might think it's funny to flirt with someone he sees as a sister, but to me, his actions mean much more.

The rest of the night, I decide to put space between us. I reply shortly to his questions, and avoid eye-contact for the rest of the party. Unfortunately, it proves to only provoke him more. He smirks in my direction any chance he can get, and stares at me every time I look back at him.

The bastard. If he wanted to play, then I'd play.

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